قد كنت أمنعُ بيعَ الشِّعرِ في زمنٍ

قد كنت أمنعُ بيعَ الشِّعرِ في زمنٍ

أقلُّ ما يُتشارَى فيه بالذهبِ

أقلُّ ما يُتشارَى فيه بالذهبِ

I once withheld poetry from sale, in a time

I once forbade the sale of poetry in an age

when the least it would trade for was gold.

when even the least was bought for gold.

فصِرْتُ أعرِضُه بالبخْسِ في زمنٍ

فصِرْتُ أعرِضُه بالبخْسِ في زمنٍ

يُردُّ أكثرُه في الماءِ والحطَبِ

يُردُّ أكثرُه في الماءِ والحطَبِ

Now I offer it for a pittance, in a time

Then I came to offer it for a pittance in an age

when most of it is refused even for water and firewood.

when most of it is refused even for water and firewood.

ولي غرائبُ فيه لو يقومُ بها

ولي غرائبُ فيه لو يقومُ بها

أخو الشباب شفيعاً فيه لم يَشِب

أخو الشباب شفيعاً فيه لم يَشِب

And I have rare marvels in it—if youth’s own brother stood up for them

And I have marvels in it; were they championed

as its intercessor, he would not turn gray.

by a young man interceding for it, he would never grow gray.

ولم تكنْ وهْي عند الرومِ ضائعة

ولم تكنْ وهْي عند الرومِ ضائعة

فهل تضيعُ وقد جاءتْ الى العربِ

فهل تضيعُ وقد جاءتْ الى العربِ

These marvels were not lost while among the Romans;

And they were not neglected while among the Romans;

shall they be lost now that they have come to the Arabs?

so will they be neglected now that they have come to the Arabs?